What did you order or the post deliver? (Japanese N Gauge)

[EH500 (12)]

2 minutes ago, railsquid said:

 

It would be useful to confirm whether that applies to private consumers importing for their own purposes; a quick look produces lots of references to companies importing for *resale* within the EU, I haven't seen explicit confirmation either way what the situation is with private imports.

This applies to private imports, there are several reports on german model train forums confirming Suicas experience. As I said a company has to import the trains and declare they are not toys (even then I wonder how they get around the law that electronic products have to have a CE sign). There is no way around this. 

 

When I have the time I will visit the local hobby shop that carries a very limited selection of Kato trains tomorrow and ask them how they do it.

 

[scotspensioner]

My suggestion based on my checking of three Kato trainsets would be that a CE labelled transformer plug appears to be sufficient to cover the entire trainset.

But that doesn't cover single items such as locos. I know that at least one dealer in Britain deals direct with a Japanese wholesaler which suggests there has to be a arrangement in place to cover this situation.

Interestingly away from trainsets,the news on ITV the other night was highlighting the sheer volume of fake and imitation toys from China being stopped at Felixstowe container port at this time of year

[scotspensioner]

Further to my previous posting,I checked the CE section I could find on the Tablet I'm using.There I found a reference to mutual or similar markings being recognised elsewhere including a Japanese marking.

However if this mark is not known widely then the goods would be classified as illegal.

Toys for under 14s and electrical items using mains voltages have to have CE markings but as usual I think it's a minefield.

Jigsaw puzzles over 500 pieces are classified as adult so don't need a CE marking! Nor do Plastic Kits!!!!

[Suica]

9 hours ago, EH500 said:

This applies to private imports, there are several reports on german model train forums confirming Suicas experience. As I said a company has to import the trains and declare they are not toys (even then I wonder how they get around the law that electronic products have to have a CE sign). There is no way around this. 

 

When I have the time I will visit the local hobby shop that carries a very limited selection of Kato trains tomorrow and ask them how they do it.

 

Apparently model trains do NOT qualify as toys, as they are scaled down replicas of existing vehicles.

To officially being sold they do however require a sign which states that these are "suited for 14+ years".

Afaik Tomix has something similiar with 15+ years printed on the back of the boxes. It is however written entierly in Japanese.

 

The reasons most (German) people are lucky when importing trains are simply luck, that the customs officer in charge doesn't know any better or that the officer is turning a blind eye.

I never had a problem like this before. And I had to pick up many packages directly at the customs office, explaining the contents and showing them to the officers. 

Edited December 10, 2017 by Suica

[Densha]

I've never even had a single problem importing any product from any country into the Netherlands. The customs office almost never opens packages, thus not checking the contents either. Usually they only attach a customs duty label and that's it. So far, all packages shipped with the cheapest untracked/uninsured SAL were not even checked by the customs in any way and thus were free of any duties. I've stopped using more expensive postage methods because of that.

 

I think German customs are just really strict. Hopefully the new trade treaty between the European Union and Japan will shake things up.

[Pauljag900]

With regards to what densha has just said,that’s exactly what I ve found here in the uk.

 

[Gryphr]

Of the packages I ordered I also had a good number inspected and opened (even at the main customs office in Frankfurt Airport), although they luckily never turned any back... I guess this might be just back luck with a certain officer just thinking this might be a toy or not properly checking the markings and denying them entry...

[EH500 (12)]

So far I too did not have any problems picking up my trains at the customs office but I dread the day they pick up on this. I have a package right now in customs and another one Iam not sure will go through or has to be picked up. 

 

This really gives me nightmares when I think about all the preorders I have queued for the next 4 months. 

Edited December 10, 2017 by EH500

[Yavianice]

For me so far all packages arrived, none turned back. For NL it’s always charged with customs fees, and rerouted to the nearest post office. For DE it’s always routed to the nearest customs office, which is 2 hours away. The customs officer always asks, and specifically puts them down as “scaled model train” (I.e. not a toy but for collectors), I pay my duty, and can then take them home. It doesn’t matter what value is on it, doesn’t matter the postage type, I don’t get them delivered home.

[Pashina12]

Mostly I've been lucky, but once in a while they'll stop something here too and slap some duty and provincial sales tax and federal GST on it... and for the duty part it's usually some nonsense - one package's contents list had "plastic kit" so the overzealous (insert insult of choice here) put duty on it as "industrial plastics".

 

It's not a big sum really on model stuff, I'm not gonna make a scene over $10, $20. But a couple years ago I bought a drum machine for $1200 including shipping... they tried to charge me $800 in tax and duties on "machinery"... yeah I made a scene, got it back, too. And other times I've brought in synths for $2000 and they didn't charge a penny (musical instruments are duty free, but they *could* charge GST and provincial sales tax on stuff if they want to be annoying)...

[gavino200]

I've never heard from customs, or even seen a sticker from them. I hope I don't jinx myself by saying that!

[cteno4]

We are very fortunate in the us as it’s really rare something gets hung up in customs for our hobby stuff. Cheap ebay stuff from China never gets looked at and japan stuff either. Most countries we import stuff for our hobbies from have no duties for personal orders on toys and hobby stuff and thus customs doesn’t care! Linear accelerators do have I think a 1.5% tarrif from japan so don’t order one of those or it may get caught up in customs... 

 

we also don’t seem to have any screens for mildly hazardous stuff like non rated (ie ce, ul, etc) equipment or ingredients (like lead). Some states do but they don’t usually reflect in shipping from abroad. California has a lot of these rules but it never affected any packages to me from abroad when receiving them in California.

 

so we are very very lucky! Having to figure in duties, get them paid, sometimes pay a fee to pay the duty, potential delays, opening of packages or worse have to bribe postal officials to avoid expensive and sometimes very long waiting periods, etc is just not fun! Let’s hope that does not change.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[JR 500系]

A little box from HS, long awaited for the power feeder and the branch cord:

 

 

 

And another parcel from Ami, this time, a surprise 817-3000 series 3-car set as it was on sale... and thanks to Ami I managed to also cancel my previously ordered 817-1100 series 2-car set! 3 is always better than 2 in this case, right?   :P

 

Quite a large box for just 3 small items... and gotta love that cute little Chicken Ramen tram thingy.. haha ~

Edited December 11, 2017 by JR 500系

[Das Steinkopf]

2 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

And another parcel from Ami, this time, a surprise 817-3000 series 3-car set as it was on sale... and thanks to Ami I managed to also cancel my previously ordered 817-1100 series 2-car set! 3 is always better than 2 in this case, right?   :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like the 817’s, I was very tempted to buy some that I saw in the Book Off in Tenjin when I was in Hakata, somehow I was able to restrain myself.

[JR 500系]

41 minutes ago, Das Steinkopf said:

 

I really like the 817’s, I was very tempted to buy some that I saw in the Book Off in Tenjin when I was in Hakata, somehow I was able to restrain myself.

 

I  initially hated the 817, calling it the black face and why there wasn't any curves at all... then... it just grows more and more on me...

 

Buying in Japan would be the best place to get one... But strangely enough, I thought I wouldn't be able to restrain myself at hobby shops when I visited Japan but I really did restrain myself... probably because in my case there was 'the force' behind me always that is so strong...

[Das Steinkopf]

24 minutes ago, JR 500系 said:

Buying in Japan would be the best place to get one... But strangely enough, I thought I wouldn't be able to restrain myself at hobby shops when I visited Japan but I really did restrain myself... probably because in my case there was 'the force' behind me always that is so strong...

 

Luckily I was cashed up enough to buy what I wanted when I was over there in April. Mind you my version of ‘the force’ wasn’t impressed when she found out I lent the boy $250.00 AUD to buy an East i from Nariichi. We did try to explain that it was a hard to get model and it was his last chance to get one, but it still didn’t wash with her.

Edited December 11, 2017 by Das Steinkopf

[JR 500系]

1 hour ago, Das Steinkopf said:

 

Luckily I was cashed up enough to buy what I wanted when I was over there in April. Mind you my version of ‘the force’ wasn’t impressed when she found out I lent the boy $250.00 AUD to buy an East i from Nariichi. We did try to explain that it was a hard to get model and it was his last chance to get one, but it still didn’t wash with her.

 

 

 

The force is strong with that one!   

 

Good catch though, the East I is getting more and more rare and probably the last chance to buy it! Gotta love those overhead inspection lights, really unique!

[Das Steinkopf]

27 minutes ago, JR 500系 said:

 

 

 

The force is strong with that one!   

 

 

Oh yeah, you should have seen me try to explain to her how I got a Genbi to give to him for his 18th birthday which is in 2019, I said that by the time it gets around to his birthday it will no longer be available. 

[EH500 (12)]

This just arrived from AmiAmi.

 

First time I tried DHL shipping. Took only 4 days from Tokyo to arrive, a new record. 

Although I think customs charged double the amount of the neccesarry taxes but Iam just happy it arrived and did not get sent back.

Unfortunately I missed the Nagamare version as Iam currently building a few modules representing the South Hokkaido Railways line.

[nah00]

On 12/10/2017 at 7:36 PM, EH500 said:

 

I have looked into this over the weekend and to my absolute horror I had to realize importing model trains without a CE sign is illegal in Germany now (and I suspect its the same all over europe as it violates an EU law). 

This means every train you order and receive is by pure luck because the customs officer checking your package has not yet received training on how to handle model trains.

 

The problem is model trains are seen as toys so they have to have a CE sign. As far as I understand it you can get around this when a company imports these trains and marks them with a sticker saying "not a toy, use 14 years +". 

 

Iam pretty sure Kato, Tomix and Micro Ace wont care about the CE sign so in the near future you will either have to smuggle your trains into the dictatorial hell hole called EU or pray some company will import the trains you want and sell them to you for doubled price (good luck with that).

 

 

 

This explains something that was bothering me, Every train I've bought since getting back in the hobby had that 'for ages 14+' disclaimer somewhere on it. I found it strange since I got my first HO set at age 7 and there wasn't really anything dangerous about it. Now it makes sense though if it's an EU thing. I can only imagine the trouble a 13 year old could get into with a model locomotive (though we should be so lucky to have so many 13 year olds interested in model trains that this is an issue...).

[Drunkenclam]

Please for heaven's sake. Don't lick the rails. Funny enough I had a pachinko machine arrive in the UK this week. No CE marking on that for sure. It flew through customs. But that for the over 14s. Although my son likes to play them.

[Pauljag900]

On 11/12/2017 at 10:57 AM, Das Steinkopf said:

 

Oh yeah, you should have seen me try to explain to her how I got a Genbi to give to him for his 18th birthday which is in 2019, I said that by the time it gets around to his birthday it will no longer be available. 

Are nt we good at thinking up excuses for why we buy Trains.😂😂😂I m not quite sure why we have to justify the reason we buy toys,but it seems most of us do,me included 😂😂 maybe we can start a thread and share our excuses just so we can be prepared😂😂😂😂

they tell us we re wasting our money,but I would never dream of telling my wife that when she s just come home from the hairdressers or beauty salon!!😂😂😂

[kvp]

On 12/8/2017 at 2:22 PM, Welshbloke said:

Can you recommend a train for a lone EF30? I bought an old Tomix one ages ago as it matched the EF81 I already had, but I don't have anything to run it with. Should probably do something about that!

For example it ran in solo with series 50 cars as a local train:

https://ameblo.jp/kinta500/entry-11366324597.html

https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20120923/17/kinta500/52/2d/j/o0800060012202453353.jpg

 

[kvp]

6 hours ago, nah00 said:

 

This explains something that was bothering me, Every train I've bought since getting back in the hobby had that 'for ages 14+' disclaimer somewhere on it. I found it strange since I got my first HO set at age 7 and there wasn't really anything dangerous about it. Now it makes sense though if it's an EU thing. I can only imagine the trouble a 13 year old could get into with a model locomotive (though we should be so lucky to have so many 13 year olds interested in model trains that this is an issue...).

Actually model trains designed for kids below 14 years of age must not use wall power in the EU, so even Maerklin had to switch to battery powered, IR controlled H0 trains for their 'for kids' line. The result is something like a Plarail advance train on H0 track. Also Lego ended their metal rail powered train line and switched to battery power with infrared control on fully plastic track. (very much how they started in the 60ies, but now with digital remote control)

 

For customs, there is a model train category and if you declare them as such, you get taxed as such but it's exempt from the CE mark. Also for more problematic stuff, it's possible to declare them as model train parts, meaning the product is not operational until assembled. For example a Tomytec bus set is only a parts kit (and 16+), as you have to build it yourself. But this practice changes from one country to the other as the EU is not a single country.

[scotspensioner]

1 hour ago, Pauljag900 said:

Are nt we good at thinking up excuses for why we buy Trains.😂😂😂I m not quite sure why we have to justify the reason we buy toys,but it seems most of us do,me included 😂😂 maybe we can start a thread and share our excuses just so we can be prepared😂😂😂😂

they tell us we re wasting our money,but I would never dream of telling my wife that when she s just come home from the hairdressers or beauty salon!!😂😂😂

I don't have that problem as sadly my wife is housebound and I'm not much better but it means I don't drink,smoke or run a car!So all I spend my money on are my trains and associated items!